The best-selling author and television chef claimed “gifted amateurs” who opened restaurants four decades ago were more in touch with what the public wanted than many of today’s leading cooks.

Her views came despite her signing a deal with Waitrose last year to front an advertising campaign alongside Heston Blumenthal, who holds three Michelin stars.

She made her comments at the launch of the supermarket chain’s Christmas range when questioned over what she thought of the UK’s current culinary scene.

Miss Smith, 70, said: “On the whole, I am not a great fan. I like the 70s the best really. Gifted amateurs opened restaurants and pubs and you could have real food.

“If I am in a Michelin-starred restaurant and they have done this beautiful little smoked haddock soufflé in a thimble, I would like to order a whole big plateful. No, I’m not for four-course tasting menus.”

The past ten years have seen an explosion of celebrity chefs including Gordon Ramsay, Rick Stein and Mr Blumenthal, all of whom have had successful, prime-time programmes on television.

Criticism from Miss Smith, who has been a favourite with the public since her first book in 1971, is nothing new.

In the past, she has accused top chefs of “ridiculing” the public with fussy recipes and arrogance. In turn, she been criticised by rival cooks for being “over-simplistic”.

Miss Smith revealed the restaurant which she felt prepared the best food was a café near her home in north Norfolk.

She said: “There is one person left doing that at the Wiveton Hall Café and if I could go to her restaurant I would go that extra mile to go to it because it’s, well, I just think everything else has got very overdone.”

In 2008, Miss Smith re-released one of her most popular books from the 1970s, Frugal Food, featuring many of her favourite recipes from that decade.

Her most popular desserts included spiced apricot compote, spotted dick and English gooseberry pie.

Food critic and film director Michael Winner yesterday backed Miss Smith’s remarks saying: “Delia is right. Most Michelin-starred chefs are on another planet.

“Serving these ridiculous mini-portions is just arrogant and pompous. Their food is often just a display of ego.

“I find it ridiculous that people chase these so-called super-chefs, most of whom are never in the kitchen.

“In the 1970s, you got very clear, simple classic meals. You knew what you were getting and that’s what the majority of the public want.”

Wiveton Hall Café, near Cley next the Sea, is on a farm which produces virtually all its food.

A typical menu from the kitchen run by Alison Yetman includes pea, broad bean and Parmesan tart, bacon sandwiches and buttered kipper with granary bread.